By Ayomide Otitoju
Ahmed Farouk, Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), is reportedly under increasing scrutiny following plans to pay over ₦200 billion in outstanding bridging claims to oil marketers, the Dangote Group stated in a press release to Channels Television on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the payments, covering legacy obligations for 2023, 2024, and 2025, have raised concerns among economists and sector analysts due to the lack of verifiable data supporting a significant portion of the claims. Bridging claims are government payments intended to compensate marketers for transporting petroleum products across Nigeria, ensuring uniform pump prices nationwide. Analysts noted that such payments rarely benefit Nigerians directly, with discrepancies of up to 47 percent between claims and verified levies.
“Audit action is imperative to halt the processing of all bridging claims until a comprehensive investigation and forensic audit ensure claims align with verified levies,” the statement quoted a senior industry source.
The controversy comes amid a corruption petition filed by Dangote with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing Ahmed of abuse of office, corrupt enrichment, and unlawful diversion of public funds. Dangote alleged that Ahmed spent over $7 million on the overseas education of his four children in Switzerland, without a lawful source of income to justify such expenditure.
The petition, submitted through Dangote’s lawyer Ogwu Onoja (SAN) on December 16, urged the ICPC to investigate and prosecute Ahmed under Section 19 of the ICPC Act, which prescribes a five-year prison term without an option of a fine for corruption if proven. Dangote claimed Ahmed’s entire adult career in the public sector could not have legally funded such expenditures and pledged to provide documentary evidence to substantiate his allegations.
The ICPC confirmed receipt of the petition and announced that investigations have commenced. Spokesperson John Okor Odey stated, “The petition will be duly investigated.”
Ahmed, in a signed statement, dismissed the allegations as “wild and spurious,” emphasizing that he would await formal investigation rather than engage in public disputes. “While I am aware of the wild and spurious allegations made against me and my family and the frenzy it has generated, as a regulator of a sensitive industry, I have opted not to engage in public brickbat. Thankfully, the person behind the allegations has taken it to a formal investigative institution. I believe that would provide an opportunity to dispassionately distill the issues and to clear my name,” Ahmed said.
The unfolding developments highlight growing scrutiny of NMDPRA’s handling of bridging claims and regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, with both public and private stakeholders closely monitoring the investigation.
